🧬 biology

High-frequency oscillations arise through distinct mechanisms in models of α- synucleinopathy and channelopathy-induced epilepsy

This study demonstrates that pathological high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) are a novel biomarker of network hyperexcitability in a mouse model of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), exhibiting distinct characteristics and generation mechanisms compared to those in a channelopathy-induced epilepsy model.

Rahil N. Vaknalli, Kwaku Addo-Osafo, Vishnu Shandilya M C, Kaylin Hwang, Mariane Vicente, Anatol Bragin, Keith Vossel2026-08-13
🧬 biology

A leakage-controlled evaluation framework for ontology-grounded semantic representations of single-cell clusters

This paper introduces a leakage-controlled evaluation framework demonstrating that frozen, ontology-grounded semantic representations of single-cell clusters consistently outperform gene-name embeddings across external datasets, whereas unconstrained LLM-generated interpretations and post hoc tuning fail to provide robust value once methodological biases are eliminated.

Mohamed KONE, Gaoussou HAIDARA, Chao HOU, Shulin Wang2026-08-13
🧬 biology

Decoding Glycolysis Mechanisms and Cellular Heterogeneity in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration via scRNA-seq and Bulk RNA-seq

This study integrates bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing to reveal that glycolytic reprogramming drives intervertebral disc degeneration through cellular heterogeneity, identifying FOS and CEBPB as key upregulated regulatory genes that serve as promising diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Liangzeng Huang, Xindi Bian, Yunbing Jia, Hongwei Li, Yong Yang, Xuewen Kang2026-08-13
🧬 biology

Integrative Taxonomic and Chemotaxonomic Authentication of Ageratum conyzoides and Conoclinium coelestinum (Asteraceae): The Pharmacological Annotation Diagnostic Key (PADK), a Reproducible Chemotaxonomic Framework

This study introduces the Pharmacological Annotation Diagnostic Key (PADK), a reproducible integrative framework that successfully authenticates the morphologically convergent medicinal species *Ageratum conyzoides* and *Conoclinium coelestinum* by converging evidence from morphology, anatomy, chemotaxonomy, and literature-derived pharmacological profiles.

Ozioma Michael, O. M. Agbogidi, A. H. Erhenhi2026-08-13
🧬 biology

Source-dependent microbial and functional partitioning shapes polyethylene biofilm resistomes in wastewater systems

This study demonstrates that polyethylene biofilms in wastewater influent act as source-dependent interfaces that selectively restructure microbial communities and resistomes rather than serving as universal hotspots for antibiotic resistance gene accumulation, necessitating a multidimensional approach to risk assessment.

Chen Zhang, Wen Li, Yue Lei, Haijuan Hu, Zhichao Zhuang, Xin Gao, Zhiyun Wang, Xianhua Liu, Xiaoyan Li2026-08-13
🧬 biology

LC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS Profiling and Functional Characterization of Ocimum basilicum var. purpureum Extract as an Ampicillin-Modulating Agent against Escherichia coli

This study demonstrates that an ethanol extract of *Ocimum basilicum* var. *purpureum*, rich in caffeic acid-derived polyphenols, potentiates ampicillin activity against *Escherichia coli* by disrupting bacterial bioenergetics (proton flux and ATPase activity) and modulating oxidative stress responses, rather than acting as a direct antibacterial agent.

Anush Babayan, Barbara Kusznierewicz, Szymon Litewski, Marika Mróz, Mikayel Ginovyan, Agnieszka Bartoszek, Naira Sahakya (…)2026-08-13
🧬 biology

SiFEA4 encoding the bZIP transcription factor regulates panicle architecture in foxtail millet (Setaria italica)

This study identifies the bZIP transcription factor SiFEA4 as a key regulator of foxtail millet panicle architecture, demonstrating that a promoter deletion in the WY159 landrace and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout both lead to downregulation of the gene, resulting in abnormal inflorescence meristem differentiation, panicle apex branching, and altered plant traits through the modulation of hormone signaling pathways and direct regulation of downstream target genes.

Tianguo Wang, Lu Chen, Shujie Dai, Shangkun Niu, Yanyu Yang, Yuqin Zhao, Shiyuan Wang, Yixuan Ma, Lejie Yang, Kai Zhao (…)2026-08-13
🧬 biology

Responses of Hepatic and Splenic Nrf2-HO1- NF-κB pathways to Gallic Acid and Artesunate Combination Therapy in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

This study demonstrates that combining gallic acid and artesunate effectively modulates the Nrf2-HO1 antioxidant and NF-κB inflammatory pathways in the liver and spleen of *Plasmodium berghei*-infected mice, with the spleen exhibiting a more dynamic and coordinated response that highlights the combination's potential as an immunomodulatory malaria therapy.

A. Igunnu, J. B. Babashola, O. A. George, J. O. Adebayo2026-08-13
🧬 biology

Transancestral TWAS Enrichment of NMN- Informed Pathways in Type 2 Diabetes: CPT2- Linked Fatty-Acid Oxidation and MAP2K1/MAPK3 Drivers as Translational Bridges

This study integrates transancestral transcriptome-wide association studies with NMN-informed pathways to identify CPT2-linked fatty-acid oxidation and MAP2K1/MAPK3 signaling as key, ancestry-specific genetic drivers of type 2 diabetes, thereby establishing a translational bridge between NAD+ precursor biology and human disease genetics.

Ngo Cheung2026-08-13
🧬 biology

Bcl-2 suppresses ER-mitochondrial Ca2+ transfer by directly limiting ER-mitochondrial contact sites

This study reveals that anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 suppresses mitochondrial Ca2+ overload in non-apoptotic cells by directly limiting the number of ER-mitochondrial contact sites at optimal distances (10–20 nm) in an IP3R-dependent manner, thereby enhancing mitochondrial respiration without inducing cell death.

Geert Bultynck, Manon Callens, Jens Loncke, Dmitry Lim, Rita La Rovere, Ophélie Champion, Tim Vervliet2026-08-13